Mobile Firms Start Sharing Customer Information with FBR

Mobile firms have been hesitant to share customer data with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) but now the matter has come to a consensus with the involvement of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

FBR representative confirmed this news that data will be taken of telecom customers from now on. This was informed during the briefing of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications about collecting withholding tax and general sales tax from companies.

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He informed that a software has developed that will collect biweekly customer information from all telecom companies in Pakistan.  “The companies were reluctant to share the data with the FBR describing huge customer base and confidentiality as the reasons but the matter has been resolved after involving the PTA. Ufone, Telenor, and Mobilink have started providing data for the last three months,” he told.

Senator Shahi Syed Committee Chairman said that there should not be a deduction of withholding tax from mobile phone cards of Rs 100 as mostly low-income segment of society use them. Also, PTA was asked to look into the matter of free SIMs distribution all over the country.